PrairieWinds

I hope I posted this in the right place...

The Waiting Sea By Jennifer Miller Just like the beating of a heart the waves hit the rocky shore in a rhythmic and fierce pace, sometimes quick then slow and a few always be there. The waves would never cease to roll in and out over the rocks, wearing them down every day. As the last lights of dusk drew dim her blank eyes gazed towards the sunset as if searching for something in the emptiness. In truth, the young woman could spend all eternity watching the light dance over the shattered mirror sea as she waited for his ship to appear over the horizon. Chilly fingers of ocean water would tickle her feet from time to time as she sat there in her plain linen dress. Beside Alison was a sketch book. Not any usual sketch book, this one had a brown worn leather cover and had stayed closed for countless days. None of the drawings hidden between the two covers were of her own crafting. Finally the last beams of sunlight gave away to darkness, and the reflection of the moon became vividly clear on the water. Because night was fall, she might consider heading back to the town that laid behind her yet Alison sat there. Soon the sky was dominated by the night, the stars were a thousand pearls thrown carelessly upon waving black velvet. Yet looking into the void of darkness she stared with empty eyes as if there was something her pulling on the strings of attention with a firm grasp. Carelessly the sea threw what seemed to be a thousand glass shards which rained down. As each one fell they casted a blue hypnotic light until her vision was smeared with brilliant sapphire ambient light. As soon as the light had glowed, it vanished revealing a perfect summer afternoon. Warm breezes blew through her long feathery raven hair, scattering a few pieces into Alison’s face. Crystal tepid water washed over the rocks as crowing seagulls flew over head. On the rock in front of her he finally reappeared in the same state she wished to see him. In his face still held the color of life, skin seemed to be warm if touched, and his signature green eyes were lit with life. “I am been waiting so long to see you again. What could have taken so long to meet me?” Alison inquired as the young man sat across from her. “I had to wait until you were ready to see me again” Jaden answered as he sat there with a smile which reminded her of a purple cat’s. “So my dear Allison what did you do today? Did you go out to the meadow to pick a banquet of bachelor buttons and daisy? Or did you travel down to Wall Street where the little woman in a red scarf who selling those beautiful stone jewelry” he went on listing all the places he knew she loved to ventured to. Quietly she answered saying in the morning the chores were done and once the afternoon sun had risen in the middle sky the young woman had sat there waiting. “Waiting for what? My dear you know you cannot see me when the sun goes down. You should do something for yourself for once, go enjoy the life you have” Jaden commented as he came in closer to her, each fiber of Alison’s being beckoned to reach out for the lost. With a hint of bitterness in her voice Alison whispered “But if I leave, if I wander away for one day then when you come back then there will be no one watching you.” Discouraged the young man lead back, creating a further distance between them. “Alison dear you know I have been gone and I am never return to you my love in this life” Jaden began the bitterness rising in Alison. Gathering in the corners of her eyes were crystal drops of hidden pain with a dash of frustration. Rising violently to her feet Alison screamed out in pain which had been suppressed “Don’t speak in such a way! Everyone back at the village thinks the ship you were on will never come back to the bay and you are feared dead. I do not want to believe them at all! They do not see the things I see. One day as I sit here on this rock the boat will float back, anchor, and you shall return, meeting me in the field of lavender as you promised the last morning I saw you.” With forlorn eyes the young man looked at his one, the girl who had been everything. “Why have you failed to return? Did you forget I was here?” she muttered looking teary eyed towards Jaden still in brown linen pants and white shirt, the crew uniform. Rivers ran down her cheeks creating raindrops which fell, and landed in the ocean where they disappeared forever. “I don’t want to forget you existed Jaden as everyone else has” Alison sobbed in chocked words and pauses. After inhaling deeply the young woman continued “No one here seems to hold any desire to remember you. None recall the fact you lived here, your parents have stopped hoping and your mother has ceased praying for your return. If I leave this rock for more than a day then…I might forget you as well.” Admitting the truth hurt the worst, it felt as someone had knocked the wind out of her chest, held her by the throat, and breathing became hard. Suddenly there was unfamiliar warmth touching her face like brilliant sunlight on a clear spring afternoon. Reaching out was Jaden, only his warmth was felt for nothing was physically there. For many months only the warmth of his memories managed to escape the limits of mortality and become immortal to a degree. Whispering like a light spring breeze in her war Jaden inquired if she could ever truly forget him. “I want you to do something for me Alison” Jaden began in his soft unchanged voice. “Beside you sits my old worn sketch book which is filled with my ideas and visions of nature. My last wish for you is to pick the book up, return to town where everyone is, and show them all those wonder things trapped between the covers. That is my last wish my love, if they view those images the pictures haunt them, making me utterly impossible to forget” the young man requested with a kind smile which never seemed to wash away. Looking to her side where the worn brown leather sketch book laid lonely with filled pages which had not seen the light of day since evening lit departure. “Alison I have to return now, I will see you soon my dear” he fare welled as the sunlight began to give away to night’s darkness. Another spray of ocean water showered over the young woman, ambient blue light flooded her vision then faded away to the moonlight dancing on the shattered mirror sea. There sat the book in an almost mocking way for the item was the last piece of Jaden left and yet the young man had requested for the memory to be rip from her hands. Gently she slide the worn dairy into her hand, the soft leather malleable and droopy. First sorrow over took the young woman held Jaden’s work, inside a cold which no sweater could ever hope to extinguish. Did not the young man know parting with such a precious object would cause emotional pain which would be the physical equivalent of a sword slowly carving out a heart shape hole in her chest? Following the stern agony of stern agony of melancholy was bitterness; she felt alone and cheated by fate. Like a rush of wildfire rage blazed into her heart. In a flare of anger Alison threw the book into the dark sea screaming “Why should anyone else have you if I can’t” Soon as the leather sketch book left her hands a sharp shot of regret rushed through her as the precious object was swallowed up by the dark, forever lost among the endless waves. Smoldering the anguish held as Alison knelt down. “I’m so sorry Jaden” Alison whispered in tones muffled by sobs. Tiny crystals dropped into the sea as the stars performed an elegant dance on the shattered mirror before her. Crawling in the waves lurched forwards to the rocky shore then retreated as fast as it came. After wiping the last wet tears from her eyes the young woman looked down on the rock which had become so familiar. To her unexpected delight another proverbial object laid peacefully as if nothing had happen. Mostly dry the journal with the worn brown leather cover as if the sea knew the young woman longed for the treasured belonging to be once again in her hands. Gently Alison reclaimed the book and this time held it so tightly, one might think those hands would never let go. As requested Jaden’s drawings were shared with the towns people who would the well crafted drawings to be rather intriguing. Luckily every picture had been masterfully formed in graphite. One was of a ship, the sails were spread open, and wind blew into them. Even the flags and crest on the main sail had been expressed in elaborate detail. Another was of the town with the piers reaching over the rocky shores, old coble stone streets leading up into the hills, and houses with white washed walls shattered among the high grounds. All the pages of the book with the exception of one which was given to Alison by the Ali family, Jaden’s set. Drawn on the page was a picture was Alison sitting among the flowers in the lavender field. Her feathery raven hair blow waving in the invented breeze and a gentle smile on her face. On the back of the page there was a poem written by Jaden which read: My dear I am the sea, I am the cool spray on your face, The changing of tides, Bitter salt that stings your eyes, The waves embracing you. Since I am the sea, I am always here, For the sun cannot dry any ocean, I’m the roar of the waves Humming you to sleep. Just like the beating of her heart the waves slapped the shoreline at an almost constant pace with few missteps. Laying down to sleep for the night the sun fell over the blue tinted mirror as the ocean moved on. Without a word Alison stood on the coastline, arms out stretched, and breathing in the salty, raw smell of the ocean. One thing anyone could trust was the seven waters would dry up. As the sun fades and returns in the morning surely the tides would change and the waters would be restless. Staring out over the waters Alison stood there as the sea sprayed onto her face as the a few sea birds called over head as they flew by. Splashing the ocean sent hands out with grabbed around her then let go while waves roared against the rocky shore. Walking Alison turned towards the town saying “Jaden Ali did come home after all” then strolled back to village.